Down in the southeast, four days of fighting between supporters of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Effurum near Warri left 18 to 25 persons dead, scores injured and 20 to 27 houses burnt down. The dead and injured were caught in the crossfire between the two militias and then the troops sent to put the situation under control on the night 12-13 May, following the alleged killing of an AD chieftain by suspected PDP sympathizers. Local youths then seized the opportunity to embark on massive looting and robbery. Tribal leaders in Warri had ordered their warring youths to cease fire and lay down their arms, to no avail. - Adam Geibel